Marvel and Hulu Team Up for Adult Animated Shows Including Howard the Duck and MODOK

Marvel Television and Hulu have announced a partnership that will bring four adult animated series based on Marvel characters to the streaming service.

Announced during this morning's Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour, the four series will be Marvel’s M.O.D.O.K., Hit-Monkey, the Tigra & Dazzler Show, and Howard The Duck. The four shows are set to culminate in a special called Marvel’s The Offenders. (See what they did there?)

Marvel's M.O.D.O.K. (Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing) is centered around “an egomaniacal super-villain with a really big head and a really little body” who attempts to maintain control of his evil organization and family. M.O.D.O.K. is being written by Jordan Blum and Patton Oswalt and produced by Jeph Loeb. M.O.D.O.K. has been featured in various Marvel comics and shows, and appeared in IGN’s top 100 comic book villains list.

Every Netflix Marvel Series Review

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Reviewed by Matt Fowler -- Daredevil may have spun a few wheels while trying to figure out its endgame (and how to leave things off for the yet-to-come Marvel/Netflix shows), but overall it was a thrilling, ultra-satisfying take on Daredevil's material and lore. One that, like Favreau's first Iron Man film, helped breathe new life and fandom into a somewhat B-tier Marvel character. Despite the almost polar opposite tones.

01 OF 12

Reviewed by Matt Fowler -- Daredevil may have spun a few wheels while trying to figure out its endgame (and how to leave things off for the yet-to-come Marvel/Netflix shows), but overall it was a thrilling, ultra-satisfying take on Daredevil's material and lore. One that, like Favreau's first Iron Man film, helped breathe new life and fandom into a somewhat B-tier Marvel character. Despite the almost polar opposite tones.

Every Netflix Marvel Series Review

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Marvel’s Hit-Monkey, often associated with Deadpool, follows a wronged Japanese snow monkey who is mentored by the ghost of an American assassin. He fights his way through the Tokyo underworld in what’s described as a dark, cinematic and brutally funny revenge saga. Hit-Monkey is being written by Josh Gordon and Will Speck, who will executive produce with Loeb.

Marvel’s Tigra & Dazzler Show is about two “woke” superheroes and best friends who fight to be recognized among other powered people in Los Angeles. Tigra & Dazzler is being written by Erica Rivinoja and Chelsea Handler, who are executive producing alongside Loeb.

Marvel’s Howard The Duck follows the titular anthropomorphic ill-tempered fowl, who is trapped in a world he never made and hopes to return home with the help of his “unstoppable gal pal” Beverly before Dr. Bong can "turn him the crispiest dish on the menu." Howard The Duck is being written by Kevin Smith and Dave Willis, who are executive producing with Loeb.

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Ultimately, all of these characters will be forced to team up to save the world (and certain parts of the universe) as The Offenders, which will also be produced by Loeb. No release dates or episode orders for the shows have been announced.

While a group known as The Offenders led by Red Hulk has been featured in past Marvel comics, this group appears to hold no affiliation. Instead, it’s likely a reference to each show’s potentially offensive qualities as much as a dig at Netflix, which recently canceled three of Marvel's four live-action Defenders shows, Daredevil, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist.

It's no surprise that more Marvel shows are coming to Hulu alongside Runaways - once Disney's acquisition of Fox is finalized, the studio will hold a majority stake in the streaming platform, which could be a home for the kind of mature programming that would be unsuitable for the company's family-friendly Disney+ streaming service.